The Independent presidential candidate in 2016 General elections, Mr. Jacob Osei Yeboah affectionately called JOY, has appealed to the leadership of Ghana National Association Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) not to incite members against government.
“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not against mining at all. All what he is seeking is to protect the environment from those mining illegally,” he disclosed to the members.
Over five thousand members of GNASSM have come at government for placing a ban on small scale mining explaining their operations continue to cause harm to the natural resources.
In a town hall meeting with members in Kumasi dubbed “#UnitedAgainstGalamsey” and organized by The Press Foundation TPF, aggrieved members appealed to President Akufo-Addo to lift the ban so they can resume their activities threatening to embark on their suspended “All Die be Die” demonstration.
The program was organized sought to engage stakeholders aimed at protecting the deteriorated environment from further destruction.
Members took a swipe at media reportage which sought to clamp down on illegal and small scale mining in the country calling journalists to be fair in their reportage.
“The media have evil agenda against galamsey business. In cases where they are supposed to talk positive things we are doing they rather talk worse of us because there is an agenda”.
“Where was so called Media Coalition for Anti Galamsey when our executors and equipment were burnt down by the previous government. The so-called Media Coalition against illegal mining did not see or hear it” they asked.
Some members threatened to assault Mr. Kenneth Ashibey, Chairman of the coalition but nerves were calmed down by their leadership and other dignitaries present.
Source: GhanaWeb
